Huskies have their eye on Arizona LB prospect

Scott Eklund

02/09/2012

While UW just wrapped up a solid 2012 recruiting class, the new defensive coaches have already turned their focus to 2013 and right at the top of their list is Blue Ridge (Lakeside, Az.) LB Chans Cox. Dawgman.com caught up with the talented defensive prospect and he said that while he didn't know much about Washington before, he's started to look into what the school has to offer...

"I was being recruited by coach (Peter) Sirmon for at least six months when he was at Tennessee, so to have him at Washington is great because I already feel really comfortable with him," Cox told Dawgman.com recently. "I really have a great relationship with him and when he told me Washington is going to offer that was exciting.

"Then coach (Tosh) Lupoi and I talked and he said they were offering me, which is really a great thing for me just to have more options out here."

"Honestly, I really didn't know that much about Washington before they offered me, but I've gotten on their site and started looking at the campus and some of the majors and stuff," Cox said. "I've talked to my parents about visiting up there this spring or even possibly in the summer at some point, just to check it out and see the school in person.

"Both of them (Lupoi and Sirmon) said I fit perfectly in their new defensive scheme and that they like the way I play.

"I blitzed a lot as a sophomore and I have good quickness, but this past year I didn't do that quite as much and I only played about half a game every week because we were winning by such big scores."

As a sophomore, Cox was named All-State and All-Region after making 86 tackles and 8 sacks and this past season, while leading a defense that allowed just seven points per game and posted five shutouts on their way to a perfect season and a state championship, he totaled 61 tackles from his inside spot.

While Cox doesn't claim a leader and he said his parents will support any decision he makes, at this point in his recruitment they have let it be known where they'd prefer him to wind up.

"My parents have said they'd prefer me to stay close to home and I've been thinking that would be pretty cool, but I'm open to everyone," Cox said. "Just because schools are close to home, that doesn't mean it is the best place for me, so right now I'm just keeping things open."

Cox said he plans to take his time in the recruiting process, hoping to narrow things down to a top five by the start of his senior season and then taking all five of his official visits before he makes his decision.

We will have more from Cox in the coming weeks and months as he gets closer to making his decision.